Eleanor Louise Woolley

Woolley, Eleanor Louise, age 92, passed away Friday, July 30, 2021. She was born to Earl and Lela Erisman, and graduated from Fairview High School in Dayton. Eleanor was a telephone operator during the 1940's, worked as a dental office assistant in the 1980's, and was part of the office staff of the Kettering Breast Evaluation Center in the 1990s and 2000s. She was a skilled cook, an accomplished seamstress, and well known for her fancy-but-fun tea parties for friends and relatives. With her husband, James Woolley, now deceased, she enjoyed folk dancing, card games, and travels around the world, eventually visiting every continent. At a time when most people would be thinking about relaxing in retirement, Eleanor and Jim renovated a neglected house in the Oregon District into a beautiful and welcoming home. Eleanor was a grandmother par excellence and known (especially to her grandchildren) for the cookies and chocolate pretzels she brought to family gatherings, as well as her infectious laughter.

Eleanor was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Beverly Gooding, her brother Stewart Erisman, and her husband James Woolley. She is survived by her former husband, Edward Alexander, and their children, David Alexander (spouse Helen Alexander) and Douglas Alexander (Spouse Jill Holland-Alexander); grandchildren Amber Madsen, Erik Young, Renee DiPiero, Diane Alexander, Kevin Alexander and Kelsey Radcliff, and great-grandchildren Madelynn Madsen and Poppy Young; brother-in-law,Robert Gooding, sister-in-law, Betty Erisman, step-son Kenneth Woolley and step-daughter Jill Bradford; nieces and nephews including Lisa Gooding and James Gooding. The family would like to thank the wonderful team of caregivers-Cheryl Casey, Maura Thurman, and Nancy Casey, who helped Eleanor during her long battle with dementia, and who, along with Bridget Coleman, did their best to make her last days comfortable.

Memorial services will be held in Spring 2022.

If desired, friends may make memorial contributions to The Alzheimer's Association of Miami Valley or Grace United Methodist Church of Dayton.

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